THE NEW BIRTH by John Nevins Andrews

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 7, 1881

THE NEW BIRTH.

By John Nevins Andrews

[From Les Signes des Temps.]

THIS was the subject of our Lord's discourse with Nicodemus recorded in John 3. Christ said on that occasion, that except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. The new birth is therefore a thing of infinite importance to us. Have we experienced this great change? Or rather is the great change which this new birth represents being steadily carried forward in our daily experience?

The new birth is what Ezekiel calls giving men a heart of flesh in place of the heart of stone which they possess by nature. Chap. 11:19; 18:31; 36:26. It is the act of creating within men a clean heart and renewing a right spirit. Ps. 51:10. It is what Jeremiah and Paul call the circumcision of the heart. Jer. 9:26; Rom. 2:28, 29. The new birth is but another name for conversion. Acts 3:19. Paul calls it the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Titus 3:5. It is the act of putting off the old man and putting on the new. Eph. 4:22-25; Col. 3:9-12.

This great change begins when we first yield to the Spirit of God, and continues till the work of grace is perfected in us, or till we grieve the Spirit of God so that it withdraws from us and leaves us to our own ways. Nor is this moral transformation the only work that this Spirit accomplishes for us. If it is successful in carrying forward to perfection this work of grace, it will at the last day make us immortal; and this act of conferring immortality by which the people of God will be made equal to the angels, will complete the great work of the new birth. Rom. 8:11; 2:7. Luke 20:36; John 3:6, 8.

The work of conversion commences when the word of God is first received into the heart. Matt. 13:18-23. The entrance of that word gives light. Ps. 119:130. The first lesson is by the law of God, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Rom. 3:20; 7:7. Then when the sinner sees the duty that he owes to God and understands that he has neglected it, he is convinced of the law as a transgressor and realizes that he is justly condemned. James 2:9-12; Ps. 51:3, 4. Then godly sorrow for sin is wrought in the heart by the Spirit of God. This godly sorrow for sin works repentance. 2 Cor. 7:9, 10. And repentance manifests itself in the change of men's conduct. 2 Cor. 7:11; Matt. 3:8; Luke 19:7-10.

When the sinner thus realizes that he is guilty and that his condemnation by the law of God is just, he is not far from help. Now the Spirit of God sets before him the fact that Christ has died for him. Rom. 5:6-8. God will forgive his sins if he will with repentance and faith lay hold upon the Saviour. Acts 20:21; 16:30, 31. And now when faith springs up in his soul, he has peace in believing, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Rom. 5:1. The law of God can accept the death of Christ instead of the death of the sinner. Rom. 4:25; Gal. 3:13; Matt. 20:28. Now the sinner is represented as having died to sin. To make this fact very plain, the gospel directs that those who have thus died shall now be buried in baptism and then raised from that burial to walk in newness of life. Rom. 6:1-6; Col. 2:11, 12.

Now the work of regeneration has just commenced. Phil. 1:6; Hosea 6:3; Mark 4:26-29. The circumcision of the heart has begun in the removal of man's evil nature and in the renovation of his heart by the Holy Spirit. Rom. 8:2, 7-9; Col. 2:11; Deut. 10:16; 30:6; Jer. 4:4; Rom. 2:28, 29. When this great change has been carried forward to perfection, the old man is put off and the new man is put on. Eph. 4:20-24. We cannot make any progress in this work without gaining daily victories over the world, over self, and over Satan. These are the three great foes with which we have to contend. We have no promise of eternal life except we overcome. Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7.

Conversion is the work of God's grace upon the heart. Eph. 2:8-10. But this work of grace must make constant progress in us while we live. 2 Pet. 3:18. This work begins when we first believe in Christ. But faith is not the only thing necessary to our salvation. James 2:14, 17, 20. Peter says that we must add to our faith virtue, that is, a righteous obedient character. 2 Peter 1:5. Then to our virtue we must add knowledge, that is, of God's word and our duty toward him. To this knowledge we must add temperance, that is, the control of our appetites and passions. Verse 6; Gal. 5:24. To temperance we must add patience, that is, the control of our own spirit and temper. To patience we must add godliness, that is, complete devotion of our lives to God. To this we must add brotherly kindness, so that we would lay down our lives for our brethren. John 15:12, 13; 1 John 3:16. To all this must be added charity, or the perfect love of God. 2 Peter 1:7; 1 Cor. 13. Peter says that we must give all diligence in the accomplishment of this work. 2 Pet. 1:5. And he testifies that if we do these things we shall never fall. Verse 10. This is the great work of conversion.

J. N. A.